Benjamin Flint

Production, Mixing, Mastering

I've been working professionally in music production, recording studios, touring, and theatre for 10+ years.
I play drums, bass, and guitar, as well as some more obscure instruments like the zither and Chapman stick. I have spent the majority of my life playing, learning, and creating music as well as helping others do the same.

I am incredibly fortunate to have engineered at Electrical Audio in Chicago for multiple years, recording and mixing on analog and digital formats. I spent several years touring with Blue Man Group as the Musical Instrument Technician, working day and night with some of the greatest musicians and performers I've ever met. In between tuning, fixing, and transporting drums and stringed instruments around the world, I also was heavily involved in refining the immersive sound experience for performers and audience alike.

After touring I moved to New York, and have since written, recorded, mixed, and mastered multiple personal projects as well collaborations with friends and colleagues from around the world. I work out of my home studio and some great studios I have access to in the city.

My goal is to help you get your project to the next level in a comfortable, easy going and collaborative way. I'm excited to work on your projects, big or small.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

Credits

Reviews

Interview with Benjamin Flint

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I recorded a punk rock band recently with all analog gear over two weekends. It's tough to be a full time musician and most of us have day jobs so we booked the studio from Friday night through Sunday. The first Friday we setup, got basic levels. Saturday and Sunday we tracked the EP and enough time to record a bunch of other ideas that hadn't been fully hashed out. The next Friday we did overdubs. Saturday we did vocals and final overdubs and on Sunday we mixed. Two weekends and the bands EP was ready for mastering. The band was great, the studio was great and we all left very happy.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on a mix for a movie trailer pitch. The artist has great music and songs but need a little extra for it to be "broadcast ready". I really like working on projects like this.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Not yet!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: They are both great. If I had the choice to work on exclusively analog all the time I would. It's intuitive and the physical act of turning a knob is satisfying and quick.
Digital is great to though. Living in a major city I just don't always have the space to have 60 channel mixing desk and a Studer tape machine. Digital is a great tool if you know how to use it.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: We will make the best record we can.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creative process and being a part of someone's livelihood and handwork.

A: That this work is easy. Though anyone can get recording studio put together these days, it is an evolution of experience and skill. Finding the right person isn't always easy.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is mood is the music? What style? What records do you love? How can I help?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Ask a lot of questions, have a good file management and if you find someone that you like to work with, stay with them

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Haha. Ok.
P-bass, Ludwig drum kit, Stratocaster, stereo pair of AKG 414s and an Apollo interface. Have to make music to record music.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I went to the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences in 2005. This is what got my foot in the door of a major studio in Chicago and where I was a staff engineer before transitioning into a technician touring around for a few years. Once I settled down in New York and with the audio technology what it is I started building up my home studio to hone my craft.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Organic.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: So many! Do they have to be alive? If I could go back in time I would like to have been a part of a Ray Charles session. All those great musicians playing great tunes.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Trust your ears. A lot of times we go to what eq or compression style works for a different type of music. It really comes down to your taste and preference. Oh, and if sounds good, then it is good.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Mostly rock, punk, and heavy music but have worked on jazz, country and R&B. If it's music, then I like it to work on it!

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Mixing. That is the part of the process that I have always been drawn to. I do love tracking though!

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Fresh ears! I know i've been caught up in my own projects and started making less than ideal decisions from fatigue and know the material so well. Sometimes it's best to let someone break through to that next step.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Have a conversation with the client about what they are looking for and how we can best accomplish it is the first step. From there I will listen to the song(s) multiple times and determine what work needs to be done. Then will look at levels, eq and dynamics.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My home studio I using an Universal Audio Apollo with an assortment of UAD plug-ins, Waves Gold and Abby Road. My DAWs are Pro Tools 11, Logic Pro X and Ableton Live.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Having worked at Electrical Audio in Chicago(http://www.electricalaudio.com), i'd say all of the engineers working there have inspired me. That studio makes great records and does their best to capture the sound of the musician/band as they picture it.